Latest news with #Gunsmoke
Buzz Feed
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Miss Beadle: Charlotte Stewart On 'Little House' Legacy
Little House On the Prairie is one of the most beloved shows of all time, and continues to reach new levels of popularity. Netflix recently announced a Little House reboot, and in 2024, the series reached over 13 billion minutes of streaming on Peacock alone! I had so much fun chatting with Alison Arngrim and Dean Butler that I reached out to Charlotte Stewart, who portrayed the lovable Miss Beadle. We hopped on Zoom to chat all about one of television's greatest teachers and continue celebrating over 50 years of iconic episodes. Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. BuzzFeed: Can you tell me about your audition for Little House? Charlotte Stewart: In those days, I did a lot of television. I did shows like Gunsmoke and Medical Center, and it was just another interview. I didn't know it was a series. But when I walked in the door, I saw Michael Landon sitting there, and that was a shock. I had worked on Bonanza, but I didn't work with Mike, and I didn't know he was doing a series. I didn't know anything. I thought it was just another interview for another Western. So it was a shock, but it was an easy interview. I showed up in my jeans and my tie-dye t-shirt. There had to be about 9 or 10 men in the room — no women. It was before they had a woman casting director. So it's this big room, everybody in folding chairs, and they asked, "Are you ready to read?" I asked the producer, "Can I sit behind your desk?" He looked at Mike and all the guys, and said, "Sure, okay." So he gets up, and I go sit down at his desk. They're all looking around, and asking each other, "Well, what do you think?" and I went, "Silence!" That's amazing! You definitely embodied a schoolteacher very quickly with that. Charlotte Stewart: I'm pretty sure it got me the part! Miss Beadle had quite the wig. Was it uncomfortable wearing it? Charlotte Stewart: It was uncomfortable, but you get used to it pretty quickly. I had just cut my hair, so there was no choice. I had long hair before, so they couldn't have fashioned it. But we were characters, and I think they would have given me a wig whether I had long hair or not. They would have done it because they wanted all the frilly stuff around. It was both a wig and an attachment for the bun in the back. It was a lot, and it was hot in Simi Valley. But Alison Arngrim [Nellie], who was a little girl at the time, had to wear a wig, and Ma [portrayed by Karen Grassle] had to wear some attachments because she had short hair too. We're actors — we adapt! Speaking of Simi Valley, I was always captivated by Walnut Grove. After multiple seasons of Little House, did it start to feel like a real town rather than a set to you? Charlotte Stewart: Yes. You know, the makeup trailers and wardrobe trailers were far away. They were over a hill, out of sight, so you couldn't see them, no matter what direction the camera was in. I would go to the makeup trailer, get made up, get my wig on, go to wardrobe, and get into my costume. Then I would walk up a hill, and over a hill, and as soon as I got to the top, there was Walnut Grove. I had to walk down a dirt road over the bridge and the creek. Then I went past the Oleson store and the Mill to get to the church. That's only when we did exteriors — when we did interiors, we were at Paramount Studios inside a soundstage. Anything in the school was on a set, but anything outside was in Simi Valley. Around 30 years after the show, we all did an interview for NBC with Lester Holt. We were all out in Simi Valley, and walking around. They wanted to do a shot with me and Alison [Arngrim]. We're walking, and Lester has his microphone. We're just looking at Simi Valley and what it looks like now. I asked, "Where's the creek?" Alison looked at me, and she said, "What do you mean?" I said, "Well, every day when I came from the dressing room, I'd walk over the hill, over the bridge, and over a creek, into Walnut Grove." And she said, "Charlotte, that wasn't real!" I said, "What?? It wasn't real?" Michael built it; he had the creek made for the set. I want to touch upon a few of Miss Beadle's most iconic episodes. In "Blizzard," where the kids get caught in the storm, was it challenging to portray a more emotional side? Charlotte Stewart: No, it wasn't, it wasn't difficult at all. By that time, I had gotten to know the kids a lot, so it wasn't hard to imagine that something horrible had happened to the children and that it was my fault. Also, the scene with Willie was so sweet. That's the best scene I had with him, because I always just sent him to the corner! It was very moving for me. The next episode I want to mention is "Troublemaker," where Mrs. Oleson convinces the board to fire Miss Beadle. Katherine MacGregor is hilarious. Was it difficult keeping a straight face filming with her? Charlotte Stewart: Katherine was always so funny. I took her very seriously, which I had to as an actor. But Katherine was such a good actress, and she was nothing like Mrs. Oleson. She was a devout Buddhist, and I didn't know that until she and I went away together to a health spa for a weekend. We were sharing a cabin, and when we got there, she opened her suitcase and took out her altar, which she set up on the bureau. Katherine was quite a complex character, which made Harriet even better. "Here Come the Brides" is the iconic Miss Beadle episode. What sticks out to you the most about this episode? Charlotte Stewart: Michael [Landon] came to me with two photographs and asked, "Which of these men do you think Miss Beadle would marry?" He didn't know that Josh [Joshua Bryant portrayed Adam Simms] and I had gone to school together when I was 17, and Josh was, I think, 18. We went to the Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theater of California, and we were students there. We had known each other many, many years, so I picked Josh. We had such a good time working together. As it turned out, we got to work together for a few episodes, because the characters wind up having a child, and then move out of town. Do you have any favorite memories of working with Joshua Bryant [Adam Simms]? Charlotte Stewart: In the scene where we get married, the minister says, "You may kiss the bride." This was going to be the end of the episode, where they fade out on us kissing. I talked to Josh before we did the scene, and I said, "When he says, 'You may now kiss the bride,' don't stop kissing, even when Michael says, cut." So we started kissing and kissing. Michael goes, "Cut! Okay!" We're kissing and kissing, and Mike is going, "Nope, nope. Cut!" I thought that would be a funny outtake for them. So that was our joke. Miss Beadle was in forty-five episodes. Is there a particular scene you are most proud of? Charlotte Stewart: Yes, the one that comes to mind is when Miss Beadle is in her room [in "Troublemaker"], and Charles comes to tell her she's been fired. It was painful because I, in my mind, was imagining being fired from Little House. Victor French was directing, and he said, "Don't let Charles see you cry." So I had to do the scene steadfast and serious, not emotionally, but still let the audience see how hurt Miss Beadle was. I think that's why that scene worked so well, because I did what the director said. Michael Landon did it all — acting, writing, directing. What was it like working with him? Charlotte Stewart: It was the best job I ever had, and I adored Mike. I loved watching him work with the children — I just admired him so much. He was so much fun to be around. He was funny, always joking, and making it fun for everybody. It was so fair. We got to go home for dinner. On most television shows, you work until 10 o'clock, 10 or 11 at night, and you come in at 6 in the morning. Michael was a family man. He had family to get home to. The children had families to get home to. The union rules also said you couldn't work the children for very long. Almost all of my scenes were with the children, so my working experience with Little House was pretty great. Pivoting to the present, there have been quite a few Little House reunion events, including an event in June. How has it been to reconnect with your castmates? Charlotte Stewart: I just love it. I so look forward to it. I love seeing Alison [Arngrim]. We actually became friends on set because she was older than most of the kids. Of course, I was 20 years older than her, but she was mature. Since it's been 50 years, we've become very close friends. We do a lot of traveling together, and with Dean and most of the actors who were babies in the series, we're all best friends. The only time I get to see them is when we travel. Andrew Firriolo Is there anything about portraying Miss Beadle you would like to highlight? Charlotte Stewart: I based how I played Miss Beadle on my sister. I'm the youngest in my family, and my sister was nine years older. She had seven children. Miss Beadle handled the children in her classroom the same way my sister handled a room full of children — a baby in her arms, a 3-year-old, a 5-year-old, a 12-year-old, a 15-year-old in one room. I became my sister, who was very strict but very loving. She could be nursing a baby and also be telling one of the teenagers to pull it together, but she did it in a way that wasn't demeaning or anything. So I actually played my sister — that's who I based Miss Beadle on. How has life been recently? How are the Beadle bags? [Charlotte sews beautiful handmade bags featuring images from Little House ]. Charlotte Stewart: I'm eighty-four and I'm still here! I'm still doing my mile-and-a-half walk every day. I stay active. I sew every day. Right now, I've got 15 bags ready to go on the road with me, and that's what I do to relax, rather than sitting and watching television or reading a book. I do every stitch on my Beadle bags. Andrew Firriolo Finally, if you could sum up your experience on Little House in just a few sentences, what would you say? Charlotte Stewart: It was one of the most comfortable sets I've ever been on. The children were professional — they knew their lines, and they showed up on time. It was secure, and working with Michael Landon was just incredible. I had never met him before. I had worked on Bonanza a couple of times, but we never worked together. So the first time I met him was on Little House. Michael Landon was an actor who directed, and he was just so good. He was funny, he made life really fun, and we got to go home in time for dinner. Michael knew exactly what he was doing. Thank you, Charlotte! Read more about Charlotte's incredible career in her autobiography, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Keep up with Charlotte on her Facebook page!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Loretta Swit, Emmy-winning actress and star of M*A*S*H, dies aged 87
Loretta Swit, who won Emmy Awards for her role on the comedy series M*A*S*H, has died aged 87. Her publicist, Harlan Boll, said the actress passed away at her home in New York City just after midday on Friday, likely from natural causes. She was best known for her star turn as Major Margaret Houlihan on CBS' M*A*S*H, which aired for 11 years from 1972 to 1983. Based on Robert Altman's 1970 film of the same name, M*A*S*H has been ranked as one of the greatest shows of all time by Rolling Stone and Time Out, with the finale watched by more than 100 million viewers - the most-watched episode of any scripted series ever. In the film, Major Margaret Houlihan was a one-dimensional, promiscuous character nicknamed Hot Lips, but the character was developed and deepened in the show. Swit told Suzy Kalter, author of "The Complete Book of M*A*S*H," that as the show went on, "I decided to try to play her as a real person, in an intelligent fashion, even if it meant hurting the jokes". She won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1980 and 1982 for her role in the show. Born Loretta Jane Szwed in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1937, she was the daughter of Polish immigrants. She enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before arriving in Hollywood in 1969. Along with M*A*S*H, she made appearances in shows like Gunsmoke, Hawaii Five-O, Mission Impossible and Bonanza. Swit also made regular appearances in theatre, starring on Broadway in 1975 in Same Time, Next Year, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood in 1986. Swit also appeared in a number of TV musical specials, including The Muppet Show and the Broadway musical It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
M*A*S*H Star Loretta Swit Dead at 87
Loretta Swit, who won two Emmys playing 'Hot Lips' Houlihan on the classic CBS sitcom M*A*S*H, has died at the age of 87, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Swit died just after midnight on Friday of suspected natural causes at her New York City home, her publicist Harlan Boll says. More from TVLine Phil Robertson, Duck Dynasty Star, Dead at 79 Uche Ojeh, Husband of Today Co-Host Sheinelle Jones, Dead at 45 - Watch On-Air Announcement R.I.P., George Wendt: Ted Danson and More Cheers Co-Stars Pay Tribute ('Humble, Hilarious and Full of Heart') A native of New Jersey, Swit trained as an actor, dancer and singer, landing early guest roles on shows like Hawaii Five-O, Gunsmoke and Mission: Impossible. Then she booked the role of head nurse Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan on M*A*S*H, which debuted on CBS in 1972. A comedy following military doctors and nurses during the Korean War (and mirroring the then-current Vietnam War), M*A*S*H became a smash hit, climbing into the Nielsen Top 10 and eventually running for 11 seasons. Swit's Houlihan was a tough-as-nails nurse who did things by the book and disapproved of the immature antics displayed by the likes of Alan Alda's Hawkeye. She softened in later seasons, though, and the two even shared a long kiss in the series finale. Swit earned 10 Emmy nominations for best supporting actress in a comedy for her work on M*A*S*H, taking home the trophy in 1980 and 1982. After M*A*S*H ended in 1983 (with a series finale that drew more than 100 million viewers), Swit went on to make guest appearances on shows like The Love Boat and Murder, She Wrote. She also played the role of Christine Cagney in the original TV movie of Cagney & Lacey, but she wasn't able to continue with the series due to contractual obligations, with Sharon Gless eventually taking over the role. Swit reunited with her M*A*S*H co-stars Alda, Gary Burghoff (Radar), Jamie Farr (Klinger) and Mike Farrell (B.J. Hunnicutt) for a 50th anniversary special, M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television, that aired on Fox in 2024. TV Stars We Lost in 2025 View Gallery31 Images Best of TVLine 'Missing' Shows, Found! Get the Latest on Ahsoka, Monarch, P-Valley, Sugar, Anansi Boys and 25+ Others Yellowjackets Mysteries: An Up-to-Date List of the Series' Biggest Questions (and Answers?) The Emmys' Most Memorable Moments: Laughter, Tears, Historical Wins, 'The Big One' and More
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
From ‘hot lips' to heartfelt hero: Loretta Swit, M*A*S*H icon and animal crusader, dies at 87
Live Events Passionate animal advocate (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Loretta Swit, the Emmy-winning actress best known for her portrayal of Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the groundbreaking television series MASH, passed away on May 30, 2025, at her home in New York City . She was 87 years old and is believed to have died of natural causes, according to her publicist, Harlan was born on November 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey, to Polish immigrant parents. Swit pursued acting against her parents' wishes, training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her early career included theater and guest roles on television series such as Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, and Hawaii most iconic role came in 1972 when she was cast as Major Margaret Houlihan on MASH*, a CBS series set during the Korean War. Over 11 seasons, Swit transformed Houlihan from a one-dimensional caricature into a complex, feminist role model."Around the second or third year I decided to try to play her as a real person, in an intelligent fashion, even if it meant hurting the jokes," Swit told Suzy Kalter, author of The Complete Book of 'MASH'.Swit's portrayal earned her two Emmy Awards and ten nominations, making her one of the longest-serving cast members alongside Alan Alda. The show's finale on February 28, 1983, attracted over 100 million viewers, making it the most-watched episode of any scripted series in television history Beyond her acting career, Swit was a passionate animal rights advocate . She founded the SwitHeart Animal Alliance, a nonprofit organization supporting animal welfare initiatives. In 2017, she published SwitHeart: The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit, a book showcasing her artwork and dedication to animal was married to actor Dennis Holahan from 1983 to 1988 and had no children. She continued to be active in theater and advocacy work throughout her life, leaving behind a legacy that transcends her television fame.
NBC Sports
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
NBC DELIVERS MORE YOUNG NFL VIEWERS THAN ANY MEDIA PARTNER, AS 'SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL' FINISHES TV SEASON AS PRIMETIME'S NO. 1 SHOW FOR RECORD 14TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
With Its Largest Average Audience Since 2015, SNF Once Again Ranks No. 1 in Primetime in Viewership & HH Rating as TV Season Ends Tonight Led by Peacock, SNF Set Streaming Record with Full-Season Average Minute Audience Topping 2 Million Viewers for First Time Sunday Night Football's 20th Season Kicks Off in 2025 with Blockbuster Opening Weekend Matchups on NBC and Peacock – Cowboys vs. Eagles (Thurs., Sept. 4) and Ravens vs. Bills (Sun., Sept. 7) – and Culminates with Super Bowl LX! STAMFORD, Conn. – May 21, 2025 – With the 2024-25 TV season wrapping up tonight, NBC's Sunday Night Football finished the TV season as primetime's #1 show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 14th consecutive year – adding to its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on official live plus same day data provided by Nielsen. In addition, NBC delivered more NFL viewers under age 50 than any other NFL media partner across all game windows (minimum seven games), and topped all media partners in the coveted Adult 18-34 and Adult 18-49 demographics. Most Consecutive Years, #1 Ranked Show in Primetime, Since 1950 14 years in a row – Sunday Night Football (2011-12 through 2024-25) 6 years in a row – American Idol (2005-06 through 2010-11) 5 years in a row – The Cosby Show (1985-86 through 1989-90)…tied Cheers in '89-90 5 years in a row – All in the Family (1971-72 through 1975-76) 4 years in a row – Gunsmoke (1957-58 through 1960-61) With an average of 6.7 million viewers aged 18-49 and 2.7 million viewers aged 18-34, based on official live plus same day data provided by Nielsen, NBC led all media partners (minimum seven games) across their complete NFL schedules (all game windows) – the fourth consecutive season SNF has led all media partners in viewership in both young adult demographics (2021-24). With streaming included, NBC's NFL viewership figures in the demos increase to 7.4 million (Adults 18-49) and 3.0 million (Adults 18-34), respectively. Sunday Night Football averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 21.6 million viewers for the 2024 season – the show's best viewership since 2015 and up 1% from the 2023 season (21.4 million), according to Nielsen official national live plus same day data, and digital data from Adobe Analytics. 'As we look forward to our milestone 20th season of Sunday Night Football, culminating with Super Bowl LX on NBC and Peacock, we salute our tireless production, technical, and announce teams – which deliver a best-in-class presentation each week,' said Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports. 'We are excited to extend SNF's streak on NBC stations to an unprecedented 14th consecutive year as primetime's No. 1 show, while also continuing to grow our Peacock audience, which topped an average of 2 million viewers for the first time.' SNF LEADS PRIMETIME IN EVERY MAJOR METRIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC In the 2024-25 TV Season, NBC's Sunday Night Football was primetime's #1 show in the following metrics: Average (P2+) Viewership Household Rating Household Share People 2-17 Adults 18-34 Adults 18-49 Adults 18-54 Adults 25-54 Men 18-34 Men 18-49 Men 18-54 Men 25-54 Women 18-49 Women 18-54 Women 25-54 Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day, 9/5/24-5/21/25 ACROSS NBC BROADCAST AFFILIATES NATIONALLY, SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TOPS ALL KEY METRICS On NBC broadcast stations, Sunday Night Football topped all primetime shows in average viewership and household rating, and for the 16th consecutive season ranked #1 among adults 18-49. Key SNF Full Season Metrics (Nielsen data on NBC Broadcast only) Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day Data, 9/5/24-5/21/25 LED BY PEACOCK, RECORD-SETTING SNF STREAMING TOPPED 2 MILLION AVERAGE MINUTE AUDIENCE (AMA) FOR FIRST TIME Led by Peacock, NBC Sports Digital hit another viewership milestone for Sunday Night Football in 2024, delivering a full-season Average Minute Audience above 2 million viewers (2.2 million) for the first time across Peacock, the NBC Sports app, and NFL Digital properties – up 38% from the prior record (1.6 million) set in the 2023 season, and nearly double the AMA in 2022 (1.2 million). NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL's MILESTONE 20TH SEASON CULMINATES WITH SUPER BOWL LX NBC's Sunday Night Football celebrates its 20th season showcasing high-profile matchups featuring the NFL's biggest stars and best rivalries from NFL Kickoff in September to sports' biggest spectacle – Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026, on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo. NBC's SNF opens with a blockbuster Kickoff Weekend. First, it's a renewal of the most-played regular-season SNF matchup as Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys visit Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, NFL rushing leader Saquon Barkley and the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles in NFL Kickoff '25 on Thursday, Sept. 4 on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo. The opener marks the record 17th matchup between the clubs in NBC's SNF package and the first time Dallas and Philadelphia will meet in Week 1 since 2000. Three nights later (Sept. 7), NBC Sports' SNF opener features the past two NFL MVPs as Lamar Jackson ('23 MVP) and the AFC North champion Baltimore Ravens visit Josh Allen ('24 MVP) and the AFC East champion Buffalo Bills in a rematch of last season's AFC Divisional Playoff – a two-point Buffalo victory. Peacock will once again stream all NBC Sunday Night Football games, including the playoffs, and the Football Night in America studio show. The exclusive Peacock Sunday Night Football Final returns with expanded postgame coverage following SNF each week. Peacock will be the exclusive national home of an NFL Week 17 game in primetime, streaming live on Saturday, Dec. 27. The Peacock Holiday Exclusive will be selected from a pool of key NFL Week 17 Saturday matchups. For a look at the full season schedule on NBC and Peacock, click here. --SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL—
